Makenna Wiljanen '23, '24G, was named the assistant coach for Women’s Hockey in 2024 after a successful five years at Nazareth University. The native of Brighton, Michigan and graduate of Brighton High School, finished her career for the Golden Flyers with a program record in goals (53), plus / minus rating (+100), and game winning goals (11) as she helped the Golden Flyers win three consecutive United Collegiate Hockey Conference (UCHC) championships and advance to three NCAA tournaments.
At Nazareth, Wiljanen was a dual-sport athlete, walking on to the Women’s Lacrosse team during her fifth year. Wiljanen served as both goalie and defensive midfielder, finishing her short career with a .545 save percentage.
In the classroom, the former hockey team captain, was honored with national academic awards from the American Hockey Coaches Association (AHCA) and the Intercollegiate Women’s Lacrosse Coaches Association (IWLCA) as well as multiple UCHC and Empire 8 academic honors.
In high school, Wiljanen played for Detroit Little Caesars and Belle Tire club programs, winning multiple state championships and advancing to National Tournaments. She also was a multi-year starter on Brighton High School’s varsity lacrosse team.
Wiljanen earned a bachelor's degree in Early Childhood Education and her master's degree in Inclusive Education.
